Theresa May has slashed Pupil funding to “the lowest level since the 1980s” – a pupil speaks about why you need to stop her

“Jeremy Corbyn cares about a fair future for young people. He listens and he’s interested” – Samir, 13

We’re very lucky to have Valerie Vaz MP as a family friend. I’ve been very ill and in hospital for weeks so she arranged it as an treat for Samir to lift his spirits.

Jeremy Corbyn was lovely throughout. He was in a rush the first time he was introduced to Samir, so arranged to meet them later in his office. He chatted for a good half hour!

Samir wants to go into politics and Mr Corbyn was really interested and encouraging.

He asked Samir to teach him to ‘dab’ (as Tom Watson had dabbed in the HoC that morning!). What I thought was very important in a leader was that Mr Corbyn was completely engaged – my usually introverted son had a lovely chat and Samir now wants to work at the House of Commons when he’s older; he has selected his GCSE options with that in mind.”

Ambivalence is a powerful word, often misused. It is commonly believed to mean ‘I don’t care.’ Somebody told me last night that they were feeling ambivalent about the upcoming election, that they didn’t care any more, wouldn’t be voting, that they’d be glad when it was over.

Ambivalence actually means to have strong but conflicting or opposing feelings, to be seriously torn.

If you are feeling ambivalent, the answer isn’t to abstain from voting. Not caring and suffering from political fatigue are two very different things.

You surely must’ve cared once. Maybe you are tired, feeling helpless, don’t want to allow uncertainty or politics to occupy any more of your head space.

Please force yourself to care for a minute. Care enough about yourself to value your right to vote, to speak and be heard, to hope for better. Care enough about others, to overcome ambivalence and make a decision that could potentially improve or even save lives. If you can draw a cross, you can vote.

“The confusion lies within the Prime Minister’s party, not within the Opposition. Every day the Government break a manifesto pledge.

There was no mention of lifting the cap on grammar schools in the 2015 manifesto; that became Government policy, and it is now stalled by opposition from all sides of the House. An increase in national insurance contributions for self-employed workers was ruled out of the manifesto, but then became Government policy, and then there was a U-turn.

This is a dithering, confused Government who cannot make a decision for the good of the country.”